Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been awarded the Ballon d’Or after a stellar season that saw him pick up silverware with both club and country.
Rodri was handed the award at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, organised by the French magazine France Football in collaboration with UEFA.
“A very special day, for me, my family and my country,” Rodri said.
“I understand that because I have no social media, people don’t know me much. I am just a normal guy. I enjoy the sport, I enjoy my profession. And I try to be a good person. I am a very calm person.”
The 28-year-old won his fourth straight Premier League with City in May as Pep Guardiola’s side held off Arsenal’s challenge, winning their last nine games to clinch the title. He is the first player from England’s top tier to be crowned since Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2008 during his first stint with Manchester United.
Rodri’s stiffest competition for the Ballon d’Or came from Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, who refused to travel to Paris for the ceremony after discovering that he would not take home the trophy. Jude Bellingham finished third in the voting.
Vinícius, 24, had been a leading contender to win the 2024 men’s prize after leading Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season, but sources told ESPN earlier on Monday that neither he nor his fellow Madrid nominees — eight in total across the various awards — would attend the event.
Madrid had been honoured earlier in the ceremony as the men’s team of the year, and Carlo Ancelotti received the coach of the year award, though no representatives of the last Champions League winners were present to accept it.
Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga made it clear what he thought of the vote, calling it “football politics.”
“FOOTBALL POLITICS X. My brother, you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you my bro,” the France international wrote on X along with a photo of him and Vinicius celebrating together.
The awards are based on voting by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries.
Rodri was part of the Spain team that won Euro 2024, starting every game except the third group stage match against Albania, and claimed the player of the tournament prize.
He went a world-record 74 games unbeaten for club and country from March 2023 to May 2024, avoiding defeat (other than via penalties) until City’s loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Rodri becomes the second men’s player born in Spain to win the sport’s most prestigious individual prize, and the first since former Barcelona star Luis Suárez claimed it in 1960.
Real Madrid’s legendary striker Alfredo di Stefano won the award twice, in 1957 and 1959, though he was born in Argentina. The past four Ballons d’Or Féminin have been won by Spanish women (Alexia Putellas in 2021 and 2022 and Aitana Bonmatí in 2023 and 2024).
“Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi [Hernandez], Iker [Casillas], Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder,” Rodri said on stage at the ceremony.
“Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light.”
Rodri is likely to miss the rest of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury during City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sept. 22. He collected the prize on crutches on Monday.
That knee injury came just days after he said at a news conference that players could go on strike in response to the ever-growing number of games in the football calendar.
“I am just trying to take care of myself. Rest, enjoy the free time with my family and come back stronger,” Rodri said when asked about his recovery.
Earlier in Paris, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player over the previous season, while Aitana Bonmatí claimed her second consecutive Ballon d’Or Féminin.
Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé shared the Gerd Müller trophy for most goals in the season, while Aston Villa and Argentina stopper Emiliano Martínez retained the prize for best goalkeeper in the world following his country’s Copa América title.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.
Chelsea moved themselves into the top four of the Premier League with a well deserved 2-1 victory over Newcastle a Stamford Bridge.
The Blues dominated and controlled possession in the first half with Eddie Howe’s Magpies looking uncharacteristically uneasy as the match went on. Cole Palmer, always eager to impress, had the ball in the back of the net with six minutes only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside in the build-up.
However, it didn’t take Chelsea long before they went ahead. Palmer released Pedro Neto down the left wing and he squared to Nicolas Jackson for a tap-in after a quick counter attack.
Alexander Isak managed to pull one back with an awkwardly taken equaliser to send the teams into the break on level terms but it was Palmer who had the last word. Less than two minutes after the restart he slotted past Nick Pope to secure the points for the hosts.
Relive the action with our live blog below:
Chelsea vs Newcastle LIVE
Chelsea defeat Newcastle in the Premier League
90+2’ NO PENALTY! Spot kick overturned after VAR intervention (CHE 2-1 NEW)
90’ PENALTY! Nkunku brought down by Burn in the box (CHE 2-1 NEW)
47’ GOAL! Palmer sends Chelsea ahead (CHE 2-1 NEW)
32’ GOAL! Isak pokes visitors level (CHE 1-1 NEW)
18’ GOAL! Jackson slots Chelsea into the lead (CHE 1-0 NEW)
6’ DISALLOWED! Palmer finds the back of the net but drifted offside in the build-up (CHE 0-0 NEW)
Chelsea FC 2 – 1 Newcastle United FC
Palmer speaks to Sky Sports
16:23 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer is first to speak to Sky, and he says that Chelsea “don’t mind proving people wrong”.
“I try and go out there and play my game. That is what I do. I always try to enjoy my football game by game.
I try to not put pressure on myself. Many people on the outside try to put pressure on me to replicate what I did last season in terms of numbers.
“It is my second season playing football and I am still very, very young.”
Regarding Chelsea and fighting for top four, he said: “We just try to play our own game, block the noise out from the outside. We don’t mind proving people wrong.
“We are all young and we have a top coach, but there are improvements still.”
FT: Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
16:15 , Chris Wilson
That result puts Chelsea back into the top four. They sit on 17 points, one behind Villa, and are above Arsenal on goal difference ahead of the Gunners’ match against Liverpool.
Newcastle remain in 12th, with 12 points from their first nine matches.
Elsewhere in the Premier League
16:12 , Chris Wilson
Two more results to report from the Premier League.
In south London, Crystal Palace beat Spurs 1-0 thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta, while in east London, West Ham won 2-1 against Manchester United courtesy of a late penalty from Bowen.
FT: Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
16:08 , Chris Wilson
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FULL-TIME! Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
16:04 , Chris Wilson
An entertaining match comes to an end in west London. Chelsea take a deserved three points at home after a game that was close overall, though they certainly deserved it more than Newcastle.
Chelsea move into the top four once again!
FULL-TIME! Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
16:03 , Chris Wilson
FULL-TIME! The referee brings it to an end!
The corner comes in but it’s cleared and Chelsea take the three points!
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
16:02 , Chris Wilson
97 mins
Maybe time for one more chance for the away side as Pope has the ball in the Newcastle half and punts it forward. Good defending from Cacicedo though.
Newcastle win the throw but they can’t find the gaps. They lump it forward again and Willock plays it back across goal – and James comes in with a fine defensive header to clear it over his own goal!
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
16:01 , Chris Wilson
96 mins
Into the final of the allotted minutes, but there’ll be a couple of extra minutes due to the VAR check for the penalty.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:59 , Chris Wilson
94 mins
Newcastle have a chance to build an attack but it’s all too disjointed. Dan Burn fizzes in a hopeful cutback but there’s nobody there.
Nkunku leads the counter but the whistle goes for offside.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:58 , Chris Wilson
93 mins
There’s still time for the away side here but they have to get a move on, and it’s Chelsea who still have most of the ball. A chance for Newcastle here though as Nkunku concedes a free-kick and is booked.
Maresca is booked for his reaction too!
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:56 , Chris Wilson
93 mins
So Newcastle get a second chance to take something, but will they capitalise?
Sean Longstaff was booked for dissent in the meantime.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:56 , Chris Wilson
91 mins
PENALTY OVERTURNED!
It was certainly fleeting contact from Burn, and Simon Hooper goes to the screen before overturning his decision.
We’re into the second of six minutes of added time here.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:54 , Chris Wilson
90 mins
PENALTY TO CHELSEA!
Chelsea burst forward and Nkunku surges into the box. Burn has his hands all over him and he drags the Frenchman down as he checked back inside – it’s given, but there’s a VAR check.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:53 , Chris Wilson
88 mins
Chelsea are closing the game out and they win a goal kick after the ball forward runs out of play.
Newcastle make two changes as Osula and Kelly replace Hall and Joelinton.
Another goal in east London – Jarrod Bowen has converted a penalty to put West Ham 2-1 up against Manchester United.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:51 , Chris Wilson
87 mins
Half a chance for Chelsea as Joelinton is dispossessed on the edge of his own box, but Nkunku dwells on the ball for too long and his shot is blocked.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:50 , Chris Wilson
85 mins
Now Sanchez is booked for delaying a restart.
Into the final five minutes of normal time and Newcastle are throwing themselves forward , but Chelsea do look fairly comfortable.
Another attack breaks down as Neto runs it into Pope.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:47 , Chris Wilson
83 mins
Newcastle lump a long free-kick forward but they’re penalised for a foul from Burn.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:46 , Chris Wilson
81 mins
CHANCE!
Newcastle’s turn to build patiently now, but they can’t find an opening and Palmer wins possession. He exchanges passes with Nkunku in the box before laying it off to Mudryk. The Ukrainian is in plenty of space but he can only fire his shot straight at Pope!
Will Chelsea live to rue that missed opportunity?
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:44 , Chris Wilson
80 mins
Chelsea aren’t committing as many men forward now, and are trying to take the sting out of the Newcastle attack.
They build patiently, exchanging passes in midfield before the attack breaks down.
In east London, Casemiro has levelled things for Manchester United against West Ham.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:42 , Chris Wilson
77 mins
Newcastle have some real momentum now but they’re penalised for a foul on Gusto in the Chelsea box.
The home side make two more changes – Gusto makes way for Marc Cucurella, and Christopher Nkunku replaces Nicolas Jackson.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:40 , Chris Wilson
75 mins
CLOSE! How have Newcastle nit scored here!?
Newcastle knock the long ball forward and Isak wrestles free from the challenge from Fofana to win the ball. He’s 1-v-1 and skips past Sanchez, but the angle is too tight to hit it. He tries to skip past another challenge to get the shot away, but he’s tackled!
Joelinton was free in the box, unmarked, to tap in, but Isak didn’t square it! Had to be 2-2 that.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:38 , Chris Wilson
74 mins
Newcastle have definitely improved since making their substitutions, but only one chance of note for them so far. They’ve found a way back into it though, for sure.
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Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:36 , Chris Wilson
72 mins
Enzo Fernandez comes on for Romeo Lavia.
In other news, West Ham have gone 1-0 up against Manchester United thanks to a goal from Crysencio Summerville. Crystal Palace still lead Spurs at Selhurst Park too.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:35 , Chris Wilson
69 mins
CHANCE!
Newcastle come forward and Joelinton releases Willock down the left. He hangs up the cross and Isak heads it towards goal, but James is there to clear it almost off the line!
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:32 , Chris Wilson
67 mins
Both sides make subs as Madueke makes way for Mykhailo Mudryk for Chelsea, and Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff come on for Miguel Almiron, Harvey Barnes and Sandro Tonali.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:30 , Chris Wilson
66 mins
Chelsea do look very comfortable at the moment. The away side look like they’re missing Anthony Gordon here.
Hall wins a free-kick near the Chelsea box after Madueke pulls him back. The England winger is booked for the challenge.
Schar lines it up but he curls his effort over.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:28 , Chris Wilson
64 mins
Barnes tries to lead the Newcastle attack as he’s fed the sweeping pass from Guimaraes, but he’s dispossessed.
Tonali is the next player booked for delaying the restart.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:26 , Chris Wilson
62 mins
Palmer feeds Neto down the left, but Chelsea are forced to work it backwards and Palmer’s ball into the box is caught by Pope.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:25 , Chris Wilson
59 mins
Chelsea attack again but the header bounces over and the goal kick is given, though it should have been corner.
Newcaslte try and launch an attack but Hall’s ball forward is cleared.
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Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:22 , Chris Wilson
57 mins
Newcastle have their first real attack of the second half and it’s a dangerous one, as Barnes threads it to the overlapping Isak. He clips a ball towards the back post but it’s great defending from James to head away, almost on his own goal line.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:20 , Chris Wilson
55 mins
Lavia is booked for delaying the restart, and there’s a bit of a lull in attacking activity here as Madueke’s through ball goes out for a goal kick.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:17 , Chris Wilson
54 mins
It feels like a crucial point in the game now, as Chelsea could essentially win it here if they keep this up.
Gusto fires a shot well over, but Newcastle look very ragged and disjointed at the moment.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:16 , Chris Wilson
51 mins
Another Chelsea counter ends with Madueke hitting a weak shot at Pope. The home side are dominating once again though.
Newcastle look a bit shocked out there.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:14 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
So the home side are ahead once more – can they keep their lead (or even extend it) this time?
They almost do, as the cross comes in from Madueke. Neto rises early and gets above Livramento, but he crashes his header against the post!
GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
15:11 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
GOAL! And the home side lead within a couple of minutes of kick-off!
Newcastle lose possession on halfway and Caicedo threads it to Palmer. He drives towards the box and hits a low shot to the near post – Pope gets a hand to it but he can’t keep it out!
KICK-OFF! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
15:09 , Chris Wilson
The away side get the second half underway in West London.
HALF-TIME! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
15:08 , Chris Wilson
The teams are coming back out at Stamford Bridge, so we’re moments away from the second half.
HALF-TIME! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
15:07 , Chris Wilson
And back at Stamford Bridge, we have an intriguing second half ahead of us between Chelsea and Newcastle.
The home side certainly dominated large parts of the first half and looked the more dangerous of the two teams. This dominance showed as Nicolas Jackson put the home side ahead within the first 20 minutes.
But the home defence switched off for a moment to allow Isak in to equalise, and since then it has been a little more equal.
Chelsea have certainly been the better of the two sides though, and they’ll fancy their chances of grabbing a win here.
Both sides will certainly need to be more clinical, and more solid at the back, if they are to come away with a win though.
HALF-TIME! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
15:03 , Chris Wilson
A note from around London – West Ham and Manchester United are currently level at the break, while Crystal Palace are defending a precarious lead at home to Spurs.
HAL-TIME! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
15:00 , Chris Wilson
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HALF-TIME! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:54 , Chris Wilson
52 mins
HALF-TIME!
Probably the last chance of the half as Caicedo and Gusto combine to foul Barnes. Newcastle can swing in a dangerous set-piece here – Hall delivers it but Burn can only direct a header up into the air, and Sanchez collects it.
The referee blows the whistle and the two teams head down the tunnel level after the first half.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:51 , Chris Wilson
50 mins
Isak is briefly down after being caught by Fofana, but both are fine. Up the other end, Chelsea are penalised as Jackson drifted offside.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:50 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
Sanchez comes off his line well to deal with a dangerous long ball forward.
Hall picks out Barnes with a clipped ball forwards but Gusto does well to recover the ball.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:49 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
Chelsea win another corner as Livramento heads Gusto’s cross behind. James delivers the set-piece – and it’s headed behind for another.
Palmer will deliver this one – and Pope punches it behind!
One more in-swinger from Palmer – it’s a dangerous delivery but Pope catches it well.
Worth noting that Newcastle have neither scored nor conceded from a corner so far this season.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:46 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
Shouts around Stamford Bridge as Guimaraes avoids a foul after sliding in on Neto.
There’ll be SEVEN minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:45 , Chris Wilson
44 mins
Livramento does well to win a foul from Neto, and there’ll be some brief respite for the away side. At the other end, Colwill is calm enough to play a pass back to Sanchez to clear.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:43 , Chris Wilson
42 mins
Barnes leads the Newcastle counter and he feels he’s fouled, but it was a good challenge from Lavia.
Moments after, Burn has his hands on Madueke as he looks to latch onto a long ball forward, but the referee doesn’t give the foul.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:42 , Chris Wilson
41 mins
Chelsea are finishing the half in the ascendancy here. Neto – who’s moved onto the right wing for now – hits a deflected shot that has wrong-footed Pope, but the ‘keeper adjusts his feet to make a good save.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:41 , Chris Wilson
39 mins
Another promising Chelsea attack as Palmer shifts it wide to Gusto before Neto has a shot deflected over for a corner.
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Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:37 , Chris Wilson
36 mins
Caicedo does well to win the ball back near the Newcastle box. It’s given back to him by Jackson, and the Ecuadorian blasts an effort over from outside the box.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:36 , Chris Wilson
34 mins
So, despite some promising attacking play from Chelsea, they find themselves level. It was a well-worked goal from Newcastle, if not the prettiest.
In other news – Palace lead Spurs 1-0 after a strike from Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:34 , Chris Wilson
33 mins
GOAL GIVEN!
Plenty of tension as VAR takes a while to look if Isak had drifted…but he’s played onside by Fofana’s right boot!
Newcastle are level!
GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
14:33 , Chris Wilson
32 mins
GOAL! The visitors are level!
Tonali and Joelinton exchange passes near halfway before the Italian slides a pass across to Harvey Barnes. The England man plays in Livramento on the overlap and he squares it for Isak to tap in!
Hang on though…it looks like there could be an offside!
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:31 , Chris Wilson
31 mins
Half a chance as Isak’s glancing header at the front post is well over.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:31 , Chris Wilson
30 mins
The match has certainly calmed down a bit but you do get the sense that Chelsea could score whenever they attack.
Newcastle launch a long free-kick from their own half, which ends with Tonali winning a corner as Palmer charged down the cross.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:29 , Chris Wilson
27 mins
Plenty of space in midfield for Chelsea when they look to attack, but it’s Newcastle who have a chance now.
They pour men forward and Isak finds Barnes with the cutback, but the shot is blocked. The away side attack again, but two shots are blocked from within the box and Chelsea counter to win a corner.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:26 , Chris Wilson
25 mins
Good work from Caicedo as he receives a poorly judged pass from Sanchez but wriggles free to release Palmer.
The home side come forward again, and Neto beats Livramento down the left and manages to keep the ball in play, but Gusto can’t get a clean connection with the ball at the back post.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:24 , Chris Wilson
23 mins
Madueke’s cross is headed down by Jackson but he can’t direct it back to a Chelsea man. The home side are dominating here.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:23 , Chris Wilson
23 mins
Chelsea launch another attack and Jackson’s pass forward deflects into the path of Neto, who curls an effort into the gloves of Pope.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:22 , Chris Wilson
22 mins
A lull in activity at the Bridge ends with Palmer drawing a foul and a yellow card as Schar trips him.
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:21 , Chris Wilson
19 mins
Newcastle look to answer straight away as Guimaraes finds Almiron with a chipped ball into the box, but the Paraguayan can’t get his effort on target.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:20 , Chris Wilson
18 mins
The home side are definitely ahead now!
It all comes from a Newcastle cross too as the ball in is cleared and it falls to Palmer. On the turn, he threads a brilliant pass to the overlapping Neto and the Portuguese beats Schar down the wing, before lifting his head and finding Jackson unmarked in the area. The striker slots a simple side-foot past Pope for 1-0!
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:18 , Chris Wilson
17 mins
Good work from Fofana to shepherd the ball and head it back to Sanchez. He’s looking alright now.
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:17 , Chris Wilson
15 mins
Huge shouts for a penalty from Newcastle as Guimaraes goes down as he burst into the box, but the referee waves it away! VAR will check it presumably…
No matter anyway, as he was well outside of the area.
No goals (except disallowed ones) in the first 15 in any of the three 2pm matches.
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:15 , Chris Wilson
14 mins
Palmer’s ball forward is blocked but he has a second chance and feeds through Neto down the left. The former Wolves man wins a corner.
James swings in the corner but it’s good defending from Hall to make the block.
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:14 , Chris Wilson
12 mins
Quite a lengthy bit of treatment for Fofana but he walks off and he looks like he’ll be okay to carry on. It looks like an issue with his knee .
Newcastle win a corner after Colwill deals with a ball forward to Joelinton, and a poor delivery ends with a Chelsea throw.
On second look, Fofana still looks uncomfortable out there.
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:11 , Chris Wilson
10 mins
Hall is dispossessed by Madueke and now it’s the turn of the home side to have possession. Once again, they don’t look in any particular rush in the opening stages.
Newcastle mount a counter that ends with Guimaraes hitting a deflected shot that Sanchez collects.
Wesley Fofana is briefly down after flying into a late challenge to try and stop the counter. He receives a yellow card for the tackle too.
14:08 , Chris Wilson
7 mins
James clips a inviting early ball over the defence but Pope rushes out to clear. Nice idea from the Chelsea captain.
Newcastle have their first bit of sustained possession just into the Chelsea half, but it’s a little pedestrian at the moment.
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DISALLOWED GOAL! Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:06 , Chris Wilson
6 mins
The goal is indeed disallowed as Palmer had stepped slightly offside. A second chance for Newcastle – that was far too easy for the home side.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
14:05 , Chris Wilson
4 mins
GOAL! The home side are ahead within four minutes!
James plays a pass inside and Jackson turns his man all too easily before sliding in a pass into the path of Palmer. He bursts into the box and slides a low effort across Pope and into the far corner.
Hold on though – it looks like Palmer has strayed offside…
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:04 , Chris Wilson
3 mins
Colwill is alert to head away Isak’s clipped cross, before Tonali is penalised for being offside.
Chelsea go on the counter and it falls to Madueke again after good work from Jackson, but the England winger can only drive a shot right at Pope.
Worth noting that Reece James is starting at left-back today, with Gusto in his favoured position.
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
14:02 , Chris Wilson
1 min
Just two points separate these two sides at kick-off, though there have been very different atmospheres around the two clubs of late.
Chelsea have the first meaningful attack as Madueke makes some space before his cross is collected by Pope.
Chelsea vs Newcastle LIVE
14:00 , Chris Wilson
KICK-OFF!
The home side get us underway in west London.
Newcastle have gone just over 600 minutes without a goal from open play – can they change that in a difficult game at Stamford Bridge?
Chelsea vs Newcastle LIVE
13:57 , Chris Wilson
Both sides are starting to emerge from the tunnel at Stamford Bridge, so we’ll be underway soon.
Chelsea v Newcastle LIVE
13:55 , Chris Wilson
We’re five minutes away from kick-off in west London.
There are 2pm kick-offs in the east and south of the capital today too – West Ham host Manchester United and Crystal Palace welcome Tottenham.
Chelsea vs Newcastle LIVE
13:50 , Chris Wilson
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Chelsea vs Newcastle head-to-head
13:47 , Chris Wilson
These two sides have met a total of 176 times, with the first meeting dating back to 1907. Overall, Chelsea have won 80, Newcastle have won 56, and 40 have ended as draws.
Chelsea won 3-2 the last time the two teams met – in this fixture last season, when Chelsea won 3-2 in March.
Newcaslte beat the Blues 4-1 at St. James’ Park 11 months ago.
Howe on Gordon
13:44 , Chris Wilson
Eddie Howe says Anthony Gordon felt a problem with his groin yesterday and so has travelled to London but won’t feature. He’s not sure how long the England winger will be out.
Match facts
13:40 , Chris Wilson
Newcastle have won two of their last four Premier League games against Chelsea, drawing one and losing one. This is as many wins as they had in their previous 13 (D1 L10).
After winning three of their first four Premier League games this season, Newcastle have since failed to win their last four, drawing two and losing two. The Magpies last went five matches without winning in the league in March 2023.
Eddie Howe has won two of his Premier League games against Chelsea in charge of Newcastle – only Alan Pardew (four wins) has beaten the Blues more in the competition for the Magpies.
Howe also beat the Blues four times while in charge of Bournemouth and could be the third manager to win 3+ Premier League games against them with two different clubs, after Kenny Dalglish (Blackburn/Liverpool) and David Moyes (Everton/West Ham).
Enzo Maresca explains why ‘slow’ learner Mykhailo Mudryk is starting to prove worth for Chelsea
13:35 , Chris Wilson
Enzo Maresca admitted Mykhailo Mudryk has been a slower learner than his Chelsea teammates but praised the winger’s performance in his side’s 4-1 win over Panathinaikos.
It was an efficient yet thorough display in Athens to maintain the visitors’ perfect start in the Conference League and the Ukrainian’s contribution was key, scoring the second goal with a brave header as well as setting up two goals for Joao Felix.
Maresca previously challenged Mudryk to seize upon his selection in the starting XI and prove the worth of his £88million transfer fee, and those words were heeded as the 23-year-old had his strongest game of the season in the Olympic Stadium.
Chelsea’s last three Premier League defeats have come against last season’s top-three sides (0-5 vs Arsenal in April, 0-2 vs Man City in August, 1-2 vs Liverpool last weekend). The Blues are unbeaten in 19 games against all other teams (W13 D6), scoring 54 goals across these matches.
Chelsea have named the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season – 23 years, 220 days. They are the only team in Premier League history to get eight games into a season without using anyone over the age of 27.
Cole Palmer has 18 goals and five assists in his last 14 Premier League appearances at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea, while Nicolas Jackson has been involved in 13 goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances (nine goals, four assists).
Across the Premier League
13:20 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea’s match is just one of the important matches near the top end of the table today, as Arsenal host Liverpool at the Emirates at 4.30pm GMT.
Much has been made of Arsneal’s potential injury woes, but can Arteta get a solid performance out of a depleted side after a few poor results of late?
There’s also an additional 2pm kick-off today, as Manchester United travel to West Ham hoping to ease some of the pressure on Erik ten Hag. They currently sit 13th in the league on 11 points, one place and one point behind Newcastle.
13:15 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea have lost just one of their 29 Premier League home games against Newcastle, winning 21 and drawing seven. Their last loss against the Magpies was a 2-0 defeat in May 2012 – a game fondly remembered by some for a brilliant brace from Papiss Cisse.
Eddie Howe: “We have to have a perception of achievement and growing as a football club”
13:10 , Chris Wilson
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said that his side “need to score goals”, after suffering a small run of games without finding the net.
“It’s been at the heart of everything we’ve done since we’ve been here, to be an attacking team, and we certainly haven’t lost the intent to attack or score.
“I’d just love to see us be free and take those chances we create.
“We have to have a perception of achievement and growing as a football club to keep not just the so-called big names happy, but everyone happy and going in a forward direction.
“I’ve seen it very quickly go the other way. Myself and everyone connected at the club has a big job to try to keep that momentum positive.”
Howe also praised Anthony Gordon as “such a talent” after the winger signed a new deal at the club.
Enzo Maresca admits Chelsea lack ‘proper leader’ as he asks for ‘more personality’ from Reece James
13:05 , Chris Wilson
Enzo Maresca has told Reece James he expects more personality from Chelsea’s captain as the head coach admitted his squad is without a natural leader.
James made his first appearance of the season in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last weekend following a lengthy injury lay-off and did not travel with the side that beat Panathinaikos in Athens on Thursday.
The last two campaigns have been blighted by knee and hamstring problems for the 24-year-old but he was nevertheless appointed club skipper by previous boss Mauricio Pochettino last August.
“I spoke with him and I expect from him more in terms of leadership inside the changing room,” said Maresca.
“He’s on the way, he’s doing well, he’s progressing but I expect more.”
Chelsea are making progress at last — but a crucial task still faces Enzo Maresca
12:40 , Chris Wilson
The previous time Chelsea lost to Liverpool they were labelled the “blue billion-pound bottle jobs”. Eight months on, there was a more flattering appraisal, and from the victor. “If I would be a Chelsea manager, I would say if we can play like this at Anfield, we can compete for a top-four position,” said Arne Slot. This wasn’t a repeat of the Carabao Cup final, the extra-time failure against Jurgen Klopp’s kids, or their last trip to Anfield, the 4-1 walloping in January.
There was more respectability in a reverse. “We don’t like to lose, but if we have to, we choose this way,” said Enzo Maresca, who pronounced himself “proud but also upset”. The Italian may have been exaggerating when he said: “We controlled most of the game”. Slot’s verdict on his 2-1 win may have been fairer. “In an ideal world, we would have outplayed them completely but it was an equal game,” he said.
Chelsea are making progress at last — but a crucial task still faces Enzo Maresca
Predicted line-ups
12:30 , Chris Wilson
Here are The Independent’s predicted line-ups – we’ll have concrete team news at around 12.45pm.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana are both back available for Chelsea after serving suspensions, while Reece James returned from injury last weekend.
Newcastle, meanwhile, remain without Callum Wilson after a set-back in the striker’s recovery, with Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles also sidelined.
When is Chelsea vs Newcastle?
12:20 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea vs Newcastle is due to kick off at 2pm GMT on Sunday 27 October at Stamford Bridge.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage from 1pm GMT. Subscribers can stream via Sky Go.
Chelsea will hope to bounce back from defeat against Liverpool as Enzo Maresca’s side welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge.
Having found form under their new manager, the loss at Anfield was the second successive Premier League game in which they had dropped points.
They now take on a Newcastle side that would climb above their hosts with three points, though are without a win in four fixtures.
Eddie Howe’s visitors have drawn a blank in their last two outings and will hope to remedy their attacking ailments here.
Chelsea vs Newcastle LIVE
12:00 , Chris Wilson
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s early kick-off between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are looking to return to winning ways after a loss against Liverpool last week, and the Magpies are doing the same after a surprise loss at home to Brighton.
We’ll have all the latest build-up, team news and updates right here.
Watch the Premier League in Australia from AU$7 a month
Optus Sport
It’s a huge match for West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui as the struggling Hammers host Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United at the London Stadium.
Life in east London as David Moyes’ successor hasn’t quite gone to plan for Lopetegui, with last weekend’s damaging derby defeat to rival Spurs leaving West Ham in the lower reaches of the EPL on just eight points. While the Hammers have no trouble scoring, their frailties in midfield and defence has been costing them dearly, with the hosts having kept just one clean sheet so far this season.
That presents an opportunity for a United side currently in the unfamiliar surroundings of the lower half of the table. Last weekend’s 2-1 comeback win over Brentford no doubt helped ease the pressure on ten Hag, but as Thursday’s 1-1 Europa League draw with Fenerbahce showed, the Red Devils have lost the knack of winning from leading positions.
West Ham take on Man United on Sunday, Oct. 27 at the London Stadium, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. GMT local time, making it a 10 a.m. ET or 7 a.m. PT start in the U.S. and Canada and a 1 a.m. AEDT kickoff in Australia, in the early hours of Monday morning.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the match as it happens, wherever you are in the world.
Christian Eriksen opened the scoring in Manchester United’s 1-1 Europa League draw against Fenerbahce in midweek.
Burak Kara/Getty Images
How to watch West Ham vs. Man United in the US without cable
Sunday’s West Ham vs. Man United match is streaming on Peacock. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live.
Peacock offers two Premium plans, and after the recent price increases, the ad-supported Premium plan costs $8 a month and the ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 a month.
How to watch the Premier League 2024/25 season from anywhere with a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view EPL matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the U.S., UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
James Martin/CNET
Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 25% speed loss in 2024 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you’ll get three months free and save 49%. That’s the equivalent of $6.67 a month with code SPECIALDEAL, which should be automatically applied.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can I livestream West Ham vs. Man United in the UK?
Sunday’s early afternoon kickoff at the London Stadium has not been selected for broadcast by a UK broadcaster.
That also means that if you’re in the UK traveling for pleasure or for work, you’re unlikely to be able to watch the game like you normally would at home, thanks to geoblocking.
There’s one option to get around this. By using a VPN, as explained above, you can set your location to a country where the match is being broadcast and go from there.
Livestream West Ham vs. Man United in Canada
If you want to stream this EPL game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. Once again, the service has exclusive rights to every Premier League fixture this season.
Fubo
Fubo is the go-to destination for Canadians looking to watch the EPL this season, with exclusive streaming rights to every match. It costs CA$30 per month, although you can save some cash by paying quarterly or annually.
Livestream West Ham vs. Man United in Australia
Football fans down under can watch EPL matches live on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League fixture of the 2024/25 season live in Australia.
Optus
With exclusive rights to stream all EPL matches live this season, as well as German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga games, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.
If you’re already an Optus network customer, you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price, with discounts bringing the price down to as low as AU$7 per month. If you’re not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25.
Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
Watch the Premier League in Australia from AU$7 a month
Optus Sport
Two sides looking to bounce back from frustrating EPL defeats last weekend face off at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as Chelsea host Newcastle.
Chelsea’s bright run of seven games unbeaten in all competitions was brought to an end by a narrow 2-1 defeat to league leader Liverpool last Sunday. Enzo Maresca’s men responded well with a convincing 1-4 against Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League, and a win here against one of their rivals’ Champions League qualification would see them climb to fourth.
There’s a similar incentive for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, who could leapfrog Chelsea into seventh with a win today in west London. Any such victory would need to see an improvement from the Magpies frontline, with the visitors failing to score in their last two matches.
Chelsea vs. Newcastle on Sunday, Oct. 27 at Stamford Bridge, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. GMT local time, making it a 10 a.m. ET or 7 a.m. PT start in the U.S. and Canada and a 1 a.m. AEDT kickoff in Australia in the early hours of Monday morning.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the match as it happens, wherever you are in the world.
João Félix will be hoping he has put himself in contention for a start for today following his two goals in Chelsea’s midweek 1-4 European victory over Panathinaikos.
Visionhaus/Getty Images
How to watch Chelsea vs. Newcastle in the US without cable
Sunday’s Chelsea vs. Newcastle match is streaming on USA Network, which you can access as part of your cable package or at the NBC Sports website with a valid login. It can also be streamed via Sling TV and other, more expensive streaming TV services.
Sling TV/CNET
Sling TV’s Blue plan includes USA Network, making it a great option for fans wanting to watch Premier League action. It’s $40 per month and features over 40 channels, including other sports channels like ESPN and FS1.
Read our Sling TV review.
How to watch the Premier League 2024/25 season from anywhere with a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view EPL matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the U.S., UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
James Martin/CNET
Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 25% speed loss in 2024 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you’ll get three months free and save 49%. That’s the equivalent of $6.67 a month with code SPECIALDEAL, which should be automatically applied.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to livestream Chelsea vs. Newcastle in the UK
This Sunday afternoon kickoff is exclusive to Sky Sports, showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and UHD channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game.
Now TV
Sky subsidiary Now offers streaming access to Sky Sports channels with a Now Sports membership. You can get a day of access for £15, or sign up to a monthly plan from £35 per month right now.
Livestream Chelsea vs. Newcastle in Canada
If you want to stream this EPL game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. Once again, the service has exclusive rights to every Premier League fixture this season.
Fubo
Fubo is the go-to destination for Canadians looking to watch the EPL this season, with exclusive streaming rights to every match. It costs CA$30 per month, although you can save some cash by paying quarterly or annually.
Livestream Chelsea vs. Newcastle in Australia
Football fans down under can watch EPL matches live on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League fixture of the 2024/25 season live in Australia.
Optus
With exclusive rights to stream all EPL matches live this season, as well as German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga games, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.
If you’re already an Optus network customer, you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price, with discounts bringing the price down to as low as AU$7 per month. If you’re not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25.
Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
The Champions League — where dreams come true, fantasies become reality and legends are born. Or something like that.
Unless you’re Dinamo Zagreb, Red Bull Salzburg, Celtic, Red Star Belgrade, Slovan Bratislava or Young Boys, in which case the Champions League is where fears prevail, nightmares become reality and careers get ruined.
OK, maybe not that bad, but fans of the above clubs can be forgiven for feeling apprehensive when UEFA’s anthem plays during Matchday Three tonight (Tuesday) and tomorrow.
These are teams who are used to dominating their domestic leagues, winning 60 per cent or 70 per cent of their league matches year after year (even as high as 84 per cent last season for Red Star) to claim title after title.
Taking the past seven domestic seasons, Dinamo, Salzburg, Celtic, Red Star, Slovan and Young Boys have won 38 league titles between them, out of a possible 42. Dinamo have taken every one of those Croatian championships with Red Star doing the same in Serbia, and the rest have won six of the available seven.
They are superior in their homelands almost to the point of boredom. And yet, from their combined opening two rounds of Champions League matches this season, the six teams have scored 12 goals between them and conceded a whopping 49. That’s a combined goal difference of -37 from 12 matches.
Transferring domestic bliss to European success is not easy, especially when your budget is a fraction of the spending power available at Manchester City, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
According to transfer website Transfermarkt, Slovan have spent a total of £2.6million ($3.4m) on new signings in the past three seasons and their squad has a total estimated value of £24m. The same source lists City as having spent £365m in the past three years (which, to be honest, feels quite frugal for them) and their squad value is estimated at being a smidgen over £1billion. So, City have spent roughly 139 times as much as Slovan since 2022, and their squad is worth 43 times as much.
When the teams faced each other three weeks ago on Matchday Two, Slovan’s odds for winning on home turf were 40/1. They may have a monopoly on the Slovakian title, but with a budget akin to a club in League One, Engish football’s third tier, they were predictably no match for City.
“We dreamt of, one day, the best team in the world, or one of the best, coming (here),” Slovan manager Vladimir Weiss told reporters before the match. The reality, however, was less romantic: City had 28 shots, scored four goals, hit the woodwork three times and registered an expected goals (xG) figure of 3.8. Slovan had 24 per cent possession and didn’t register a shot on target.
“Honestly, this was just as we expected,” Tomas, a Slovan fan who attended the game, tells The Athletic. “Slovan has not played in the Champions League for 32 years (having failed to get past its qualifying rounds on 11 occasions), so it is a big success to even be there.
“When we beat (Denmark’s champions) Midtjylland to qualify (having got through three previous ties in a campaign that began four days before last season had ended with the Euro 2024 final on July 14), it was one of the best results in the last few years and was like a European final for us.
“Then we were drawn against Manchester City, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid (among their eight league-phase games). These are matches we have not had for many, many years, so even though we will probably lose, it is still a big prize. The Celtic defeat (Slovan lost 5-1 in Glasgow on Matchday One) was not good, but even a club like Celtic has much more money than us.
“We have Dinamo (Zagreb) at home (on November 5), a match we can look to draw or win, but mostly I want the eight games to be a lesson for the players and the owners, and for us to make money from TV and full stadiums to spend on improving the team.”
There is a distinct “happy to be there” vibe from Slovan, but that does not apply to every Champions League ‘minnow’.
Salzburg, who will compete in the revamped Club World Cup in the United States next summer courtesy of their consistent Champions League group-phase qualification in recent years, are adjusting to life under a new manager in Jurgen Klopp’s long-time Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, and were probably thought of as a bit of a dark horse going into the league phase.
Instead, they were comfortably beaten 3-0 at Sparta Prague and then surprisingly trounced 4-0 at home to French newcomers Brest. They lie fourth in the early-season Austrian Bundesliga, six points off leaders Sturm Graz, but have two games in hand.
Pep Lijnders acknowledges Salzburg fans after defeat in Prague (Michal Cizek/AFP via Getty Images)
“I don’t want to make excuses, I take full responsibility,” Lijnders said in a press conference after the Brest defeat. “This group has enough quality that it should not happen like this. That worries me a little bit.
“We expected a completely different start in the Champions League, especially with the qualification (beating FC Twente, 5-4 on aggregate, and Dynamo Kyiv, 3-1). I’m sick of people calling us a young team. There are no excuses, we have enough quality to win football matches in the Champions League.”
Young Boys, whose Swiss Super League is of a similar standard to Austria’s Bundesliga, will also have expected better than to be propping up the 32-team Champions League table after two defeats (3-0 at home to Aston Villa, 5-0 at Barcelona).
Like Salzburg, the Bern club are enduring domestic woes, and sacked manager Patrick Rahmen, who had only been appointed in the summer, a week after the Barcelona thrashing. They are 10th in a 12-team domestic league. A visit from Inter Milan, Serie A champions and three-time European Cup/Champions League winners, awaits on Wednesday.
Dinamo also dispensed with their manager after suffering one of the heaviest defeats in Champions League history, losing 9-2 at Bayern last month. Sergej Jakirovic had led Dinamo to a Croatian league and cup double in 2023-24 but the Bayern thrashing was deemed unacceptable and he left two days later by mutual consent.
The harsh reality of Dinamo Zagreb’s European struggle is laid bare on Bayern Munich’s scoreboard(Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)
A 2-2 home draw against Monaco on Matchday Two, under new boss Nenad Bjelica, suggested the right decision had been made. Next up? A visit to Lijnders and Salzburg on Wednesday.
And then you have Celtic. Unlike many of those sides mentioned above, the Scottish club are Champions League regulars and have taken some incredible scalps over the years, beating Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United and AC Milan (and back in 1967 they won the competition). But every one of those victories has come at Celtic Park where, backed by one of the most vociferous atmospheres in European football, they can be a match for anyone.
Away from home, it’s a different story. This season’s competition has been Celtic in Europe in a microcosm, thrashing Slovan 5-1 at home and then being humiliated 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund in Germany, where they conceded five before half-time — the first time a British club had done so in a major European competition since 1997-98. It was their 31st defeat from 37 Champions League group/league-stage away games — and in those 37, they have conceded an almighty 100 goals.
Yet manager Brendan Rodgers was unrepentant in not changing the team’s approach for that Dortmund game, despite facing criticism familiar from his first spell at Celtic, when his side lost 7-0 to Barcelona at Camp Nou and 7-1 at Paris Saint-Germain, or 6-0 away to Atletico Madrid in his second spell last season.
“We play in a way that allows us to dominate domestically,” Rodgers said. “We know it’s going to be difficult at times for us to do that, but we still have to show our ability with the ball. Are we going to sit in and camp, and wait? No, we won’t do that.”
Celtic supporters who have paid thousands of pounds to travel across the continent to see their team win just two of 37 Champions League away matches (beating Spartak Moscow in 2012-13 and Belgium’s Anderlecht in 2017-18) may see things differently. While nobody could accuse Celtic fans of not making the most of their trips abroad, if anyone has attended all 37 games, they will have travelled more than 70,000 miles, which is almost three times around the world, to see two victories.
“I’ve not done that many, but I’ve never seen us win abroad,” Celtic season-ticket holder Alasdair tells The Athletic. “There is always a great atmosphere on the road and no one takes it for granted that we’re privileged to visit some great cities and stadiums, but it’s pretty demoralising.
Celtic fans enjoy their European trips – until the football starts (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
“There’s maybe an unrealistic expectation at the club that we should be doing better, but given our resources compared to the Premier League and the big Spanish, German and Italian clubs, we’re on a different planet. We’ll find the new format only skews the imbalance further.”
We are working with an incredibly small sample size after two rounds but the early results in the expanded 36-team ‘league phase’ do suggest the scales are tipping further. We have seen scorelines of 9-2, 7-1, 5-0 and 5-1, plus four 4-0s. After 36 matches, this is proving to be one of the most goal-heavy editions of the Champions League, with 3.19 per game being close to the highest on record (3.24 in 2019-20).
So far, it has been the most one-sided Champions League season yet, with an average margin of victory of 2.57 goals, comfortably above the next highest of 2.37 from the 1993-94 season.
By expanding the competition, the quality will be diluted, while this bigger first stage could lend itself to teams playing more expansively, given the probable need for only 10 or so points from your eight matches to reach at least the play-off knockout round, where places in the last-16 will be up for grabs.
As the rich get richer and the financial imbalance across Europe increases, expect more of the same. And expect fans of relative Champions League minnows to dread rather than relish their continental adventures.
An end-to-end first half failed to create any real chances of note before Curtis Jones produced a brilliant block on Cole Palmer, and then raced into the Chelsea box to win a penalty.
Salah converted from the spot and Liverpool were in the ascendancy from there, with Cody Gakpo having a goal ruled out before half-time.
The second half started in a similarly frantic fashion, though Chelsea landed the first blow, equakising quickly after Nicolas Jackson latched onto a brilliant through ball from Moises Caicedo.
But parity was short-lived, as Curtis Jones got to the end of a Salah cross to poke past Sanchez for 2-1 in the 51st minute.
The rest of the half was far less eventful, with neither side managing to fashion a chance of note before seven minutes were added on.
The home side looked to close out the game as the Blues tried to mount some final attacks, and the Reds’ defence stood firm to confirm the three points.
Follow all the Premier League action with our live blog below:
Liverpool vs Chelsea LIVE
Liverpool host Chelsea in the Premier League
51’ GOAL! Jones pokes in to give Liverpool the lead again (LIV 2-1 CHE)
48’ GOAL! Jackson equalises after a great ball from Caicedo (LIV 1-1 CHE)
33′ DISALLOWED GOAL! Gakpo taps in but Salah had strayed offside (LIV 1-0 CHE)
28’ GOAL! Salah converts from the penalty spot (LIV 1-0 CHE)
27’ PENALTY! Colwill brings down Jones (LIV 0-0 CHE)
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Jota, Gakpo
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Gusto; Lavia, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Liverpool FC 2 – 1 Chelsea FC
Curtis Jones embodies former Liverpool great as questions raised over Chelsea’s title chances
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:33 , Chris Wilson
When Arne Slot had suggested Chelsea were potential champions, it posed the question of whether they could keep up with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. It soon transpired they could not keep up with the Joneses.
Or not Curtis Jones, anyway. Winners are not always scored by the best player on the pitch but, in a match that could shape two clubs’ seasons, this one was. Jones’ display of extraordinary dynamism restored Liverpool to the top of the table. It meant that Chelsea, already beaten by Manchester City, have failed their two biggest tests of the season so far. Liverpool, now seven points clear of them, have passed their toughest.
They did so courtesy of a couple of very different indictments of Chelsea’s transfer business. Many a charge can be levelled at Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital but it was a previous Chelsea regime who let Mohamed Salah leave. With a goal and an assist, he gave them added reasons to regret a past mistake. If Jones is precisely the kind of player the modern-day Chelsea would sell, Liverpool do not need to dispense with homegrown talents for pure profit. Jones joined them at nine. At 23, he had one of his finest afternoons in a red shirt.
Jones embodies former Liverpool great as questions raised over Chelsea’s title chance
Chelsea are making progress at last — but a crucial task still faces Enzo Maresca
09:03 , Richard Jolly
The previous time Chelsea lost to Liverpool they were labelled the “blue billion-pound bottle jobs”. Eight months on, there was a more flattering appraisal, and from the victor. “If I would be a Chelsea manager, I would say if we can play like this at Anfield, we can compete for a top-four position,” said Arne Slot. This wasn’t a repeat of the Carabao Cup final, the extra-time failure against Jurgen Klopp’s kids, or their last trip to Anfield, the 4-1 walloping in January.
There was more respectability in a reverse. “We don’t like to lose, but if we have to, we choose this way,” said Enzo Maresca, who pronounced himself “proud but also upset”. The Italian may have been exaggerating when he said: “We controlled most of the game”. Slot’s verdict on his 2-1 win may have been fairer. “In an ideal world, we would have outplayed them completely but it was an equal game,” he said.
Chelsea are making progress at last — but a crucial task still faces Enzo Maresca
Curtis Jones praised for shutting down Cole Palmer in Liverpool’s win over Chelsea
09:02 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot was delighted with the contribution from new dad Curtis Jones at both ends of the pitch after he scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea that sent Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League.
Jones tucked in Liverpool’s second goal six minutes into the second half, moments after Nicolas Jackson’s equaliser, having already made a crucial block to deny Cole Palmer and then won the penalty from which Mohamed Salah opened the scoring.
Jones thought he had won a second penalty before half-time when he collided with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Referee John Brooks pointed to the spot but the decision was overturned after a VAR intervention.
Even though that was not to be, it was an outstanding all-round display from the 23-year-old.
Liverpool’s next match takes place in the Champions League, as they travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig on Wednesday. They then travel to London for a huge game at the top of the table, as they face Arsenal at 4.30pm on Sunday, 27 October.
Chelsea travel to Greece to face Panathinaikos in midweek, before they host Newcastle on Sunday at 2pm.
Post-match reaction
Sunday 20 October 2024 20:00 , Chris Wilson
Despite criticising Sanchez, Carragher is full of praise for Chelsea overall.
“I thought Chelsea were excellent,” he says.
“When managers come up against each other they try to do something different to throw the oppositions setup.
“They caused Liverpool problems. In terms of control of the game Chelsea were better, but what let them down was the goalkeeper.
“The thing Chelsea didn’t do enough of in the second half was create chances.
“Liverpool were hanging on at times and they were hanging on to get to the final whistle,” he adds.
Post-match reaction
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:50 , Chris Wilson
From Chelsea’s point of view, the pundits are unsure on the role of Sanchez when they conceded the second goal.
“It’s so poor from Chelsea’s point [of view]. Reece James ambles in there,” says Carragher.
“The goalkeeper is so poor. It was a poor touch from Curtis Jones really, and it’s poor from the goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez.
“Sanchez has got to go and win that ball.
“Jones should be terrified that a goalkeeper is coming towards him. You have got to get there and hope it hits you in the face and you keep it out.
“Chelsea need a new goalkeeper if they want to get back to where they want to be,” he adds.
Pundits react on Sky
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:44 , Chris Wilson
There’s plenty more coming from Carragher, Richards and Sturridge on TV.
The first notable comments surround Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who Sturridge is keen to defend.
“Nicolas Jackson is pivotal to the system,” he says.
“He’s good at going into the false nine position. It was a fantastic finish, calm in front of goal.
“I am analysing him on open play. I’m not analysing him on statistics, I don’t think he’s devastating in front of goal, but I think he has what it takes to get there.
“When you’re playing in the spotlight at any top club you are judged because of likes of Drogba, Anelka and Crespo – you’re judging him compared to those world-class strikers.
“I think we have been a bit too critical,” he adds.
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:37 , Chris Wilson
Reece James also briefly spoke to Sky after the match.
“Coming here is always tough,” he said.
“I think we controlled most of the game. They had chances but we had a few chances as well but didn’t take them.
“We are definitely moving in the right direction. The scoreline doesn’t reflect the game,” he added.
“If we step back and look at performances and what we are trying to do, we have come a long way. It is still early days, we haven’t been with the manager long.”
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:21 , Chris Wilson
Enzo Maresca is next to speak to Sky. He says Chelsea “don’t like to lose or drop points, but I really liked the performance”.
“We deserved something more but the performance was good.
“We controlled most of the game. We had chances, we had possession. We don’t like to lose, but if we have to choose this is the way. The team was brave on and off the ball.
“I don’t think this game defines where we are. We prepared in the best way, it worked quite well. You have to take chances, but overall I am very happy with the players.”
On refereeing decisions, he adds: “I didn’t see anything in terms of decisions from the referee. The only thing I can see is in this stadium is is something the noise of the crowd.
“The only thing I can say is the referee is there to make decisions. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong. Sometimes it is because of the noise [of the crowd], but overall I think they did OK.”
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:07 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot is understandably delighted as he speaks to Sky.
“The most important thing, if you want to have a chance of winning a game like this, is that you work so hard, which we did,” he says.
“In the meantime, we created a few very good chances, and were a bit unlucky with some decisions,” he adds.
“I think it could’ve been a crucial decision to overturn the referee’s decision [on the penalty]. If you look at it on a screen, you still feel it is a penalty.”
He adds that he thinks the early last-man challenge from Tosin on Jota was also a red card.
“The fans helped us a lot, it probably comes from these decisions.
“In the end, a good win against a very strong Chelsea,” he says, before adding that Curtis Jones put in a “very good individual performance”.
“Curtis had a difficult job, he had to control Cole Palmer, which is not easy. He was very important for us on both parts of the pitch.
“Everybody who saw the game knows it wasn’t easy. For us it’s very good that we made a bit of a gap now.”
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:02 , Chris Wilson
On Sky, Jamie Carragher has hailed Jones’ performance, calling it a “throwback”.
“Curtis Jones was brilliant, he was outstanding,” said Carragher.
“He’s still at that stage where he doesn’t know for certain if he is first choice, when you have got Gravenberch and Mac Allister.
“But what a performance that was, when you think of the quality on the pitch and the money that has been spent. For a local lad to be player of the match.
“I wonder if Arne Slot is going to go back in for Zubimendi in January, but when you see how he played today you think ‘no’.
“He has to now do it on a consistent basis.”
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:56 , Chris Wilson
Matchwinner Curtis Jones is first to speak to Sky.
“We came away with a win, it’s the most important thing obviously,” he says.
“I had it in my mind, if I can keep Cole [Palmer] quiet then that’s a large part of the game.
On the penalties, he says: “I never dive, I felt the contact, so I went down”.
“If you want to play in this team, you’ve got to run, you’ve got to have energy, you’ve got to help out.
On his goal, he adds: “There’s been times when I’ve arrived in the box and it’s been a first-time one. I thought it was going to come and it did, and I was fortunate enough. I got the goal.”He finishes by calling his newborn daughter “a little dream”.
Premier League table
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:52 , Chris Wilson
That result means Liverpool return to the top of the league table. The Reds sit on 21 points, one above Manchester City and four above Arsenal.
Chelsea miss the chance to enter the top three, and they stay sixth, on 14 points.
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:47 , Chris Wilson
So, an entertaining match comes to an end at Anfield and Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League table.
The Reds probably deserved the win in the end, though Chelsea produced a good performance to take them all the way. However, in attack, Chelsea couldn’t create enough and paid the price for a couple of defensive lapses.
Arne Slot’s side have answered yet another question thrown at them, and if they carry on like this, they may work themselves into the title conversation.
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:40 , Chris Wilson
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:35 , Chris Wilson
FULL-TIME!
The referee brings the match to an end and Liverpool return to the top of the table!
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:34 , Chris Wilson
96 mins
Whisltes around Anfield as Chelsea come forward, but the attack breaks down after a foul from Nunez. That one was harsh.
Chelsea mount what must be a final attack…the ball is squared to Gusto but his shot is blocked!
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:33 , Chris Wilson
95 mins
Liverpool have a rare attack and Salah threads it to the overlapping Diaz, but he’s flagged for offside.
From the Chelsea counter, Gomez slides in brilliantly to cut the pass out, and Liverpool come forward again. The attack is led by Diaz, who weaves into the box before cutting outside and curling an effort past the far post.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:31 , Chris Wilson
94 mins
Chelsea are in possession but it’s a little too pedestrian to threaten the home side. They do fashion a half-chance though, as Neto clips a ball towards the back post. Nkunku is running in but he has to stretch too much as he gets a foot to it, and he can only direct it behind.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:29 , Chris Wilson
92 mins
Palmer skips past a challenge but is brought down by Mac Allister, and it’ll be a set-piece in dangerous territory for Chelsea.
Palmer delivers the cross but Veiga heads over from about six yards!
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:27 , Chris Wilson
90 mins
Liverpool do mount a rare attack and it ends with Caicedo committing a foul midway into the Chelsea half.
There’ll be an additional seven minutes at Anfield! Liverpool throw forward the men for the free-kick when the board goes up, but the set-piece comes to nothing.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:26 , Chris Wilson
89 mins
Liverpool are certainly looking to close out the game at the moment, as opposed to pouring numbers forward looking for a third. Chelsea aren’t threatening a lot, to be honest, but you’d think they’ll have at least one more chance.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:25 , Richard Jolly at Anfield
It does feel as though the next 5 minutes or so could go a long way towards shaping both clubs’ seasons – win and it is easier to call Liverpool title challengers, lose and it is more likely the best-case scenario for Chelsea is fourth place. An open affair means a comeback is feasible, but so is a bigger win. Either way, there feels one more goal left in this game.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:24 , Chris Wilson
87 mins
Liverpool try pressing high but Chelsea make their way out of it thanks to some good passing and a shimmy from Caicedo. The home side win a free-kick in the end though after a tired challenge.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:23 , Chris Wilson
85 mins
Gusto is down briefly after a heavy challenge from Mac Allister. He’s okay to carry on though.
Chelsea attack and it ends with Gomez putting it behind for a corner. Gusto clips the ball in towards the back post, and it’s headed away for a throw, before Neto is dispossessed as he tried to knock it past Gomez.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:19 , Chris Wilson
83 mins
Will there be another big chance in this match? Common sense would say yes, but it really doesn’t feel like it at the moment. Both sides are playing in quite a pedestrian manner, and a lot of the earlier energy has left the game for now.
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:17 , Chris Wilson
80 mins
Sanchez tries to launch a Chelsea counter but Nkunku is scythed down by his compatriot Konate. He is booked for his troubles.
Alexis Mac Allister comes on Jones for in midfield, while Alexander-Arnold comes off for Joe Gomez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:16 , Chris Wilson
79 mins
Diaz is brought down by Veiga near halfway and the Portuguese is booked.
Liverpool try and launch an attack but there’s no space between the lines, so they work it back to Konate, before Diaz eventually fizzes a low shot too close to Sanchez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:14 , Chris Wilson
77 mins
Alexander-Arnold delivers the cross from the set-piece but it’s headed away too easily. Liverpool collect the ball again, with Salah sending it forward to the overlapping Szoboszlai, but his cutback it cut out by Fernandez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:12 , Chris Wilson
75 mins
Badiashile bundles into Nunez and he concedes a naive free-kick near the byline.
Chelsea make another change as Noni Madueke makes way for Christopher Nkunku.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:10 , Chris Wilson
73 mins
Both sides are struggling to keep the ball for sustained periods, and there have been few attacks of note since it went to 2-1. Chelsea will certainly feel like they’re still in it though.
Szoboszlai’s pass is cut out by Fernandez and it runs to Neto, who surges towards the box and unleashes a shot from distance that bobbles past the far post.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:07 , Chris Wilson
71 mins
Lovely play from Neto to get away from Alexander-Arnold and poke it to Palmer. He has Jackson to his right but he opts to shoot, and it’s blocked.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:06 , Chris Wilson
69 mins
Nunez gets a booking after a late challenge on Badiashile. Needless.
Veiga clips a ball forward and it’s an awkward one for Alexander-Arnold, as it’s not quite running to Kelleher, but the duo deal with it eventually.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:05 , Chris Wilson
68 mins
A little bit of commotion as Badiashile looks to have pushed over Nunez, but VAR waves it away.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:02 , Chris Wilson
65 mins
Luis Diaz comes on for Gakpo for the home side. His first involvement sees him try to latch on to Salah’s chipped through ball, but there’s too much on it.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:01 , Chris Wilson
65 mins
Palmer’s free-kick hits the wall and bounces out for a corner.
Fernandez takes, with Gusto eventually putting the ball into the box, but Chelsea are penalised as Nunez is sent tumbling over.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:00 , Chris Wilson
63 mins
Neto plays in a looping cross that falls to Madueke, though he can only direct his volley straight at Kelleher.
Chelsea win it back quickly, before Neto wins a free-kick on the edge of the box after drawing the foul from Gravenberch. A few yards in front of where Palmer scored against Brighton.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:57 , Chris Wilson
60 mins
Lovely play from Salah and Gravenberch as they exchange passes before the former fizzes a great diagonal pass to Gakpo. The Dutchman drives at the Chelsea defence before cutting inside and firing over.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:55 , Chris Wilson
58 mins
Chelsea are enjoying more of the ball at the moment, though Robertson nips in to win possession. Not a lot happening at the moment.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:53 , Richard Jolly at Anfield
It is a game that increasingly appears to revolve around Curtis Jones who, at various points, may have denied Chelsea a goal with a block, earned Liverpool a penalty, seemed to have got them a second and has now scored. He has been terrific. And, of course, he cost Liverpool nothing whereas Chelsea now have the £222m double act together, in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:53 , Chris Wilson
56 mins
The game has settled a little after those two early goals. Chelsea launch an attack as Veiga feeds Neto, but his cross is collected by Kelleher.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:51 , Chris Wilson
53 mins
Chelsea respond to the setback by making a triple change. Lavia, James and Tosin come off for Enzo Fernandez, Renato Veiga and Benoit Badiashile.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:49 , Chris Wilson
52 mins
GOAL! The home side are ahead again almost straight away, and it comes from their best player on the day.
Salah collects on the right and he cuts inside before swinging in a lovely cross. Jones has made the deep run and he takes a brilliant touch to get it out of his feet before poking it past the onrushing Sanchez.
A great finish.
(Getty Images)
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:46 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
The goal is given! Far too easy from a Liverpool point of view, but well worked from Chelsea and a great through ball from Caicedo.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:45 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
DISALLOWED GOAL! This will be close!
Jackson latches onto a through ball and he’s clean through in-behind. He drives towards the box and slots it past Kelleher with ease.
The flag goes up but it looks like Jackson was quite clearly onside.
KICK-OFF! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:42 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool get the second half started.
Chelsea made a change at the break – Sancho comes off for Pedro Neto.
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:41 , Chris Wilson
The two teams are re-emerging from the Anfield tunnel, so we’re moments away from the second half starting.
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:37 , Chris Wilson
It was just one minute and 54 seconds between Jones’ brilliant block on Palmer and then him winning the penalty. Small margins.
Liverpool dominated somewhat after their goal, and were unlucky to have a second ruled out after Salah strayed offside.
Chelsea have shown flashes of what they can do, especially with Madueke on the right wing, but they need to get Palmer into the game more.
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:32 , Chris Wilson
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:26 , Chris Wilson
53 mins
HALF-TIME!
Szoboszlai is booked after pulling back Palmer and then kicking the ball away.
The free-kick is the last event of the half as James’ delivery is then headed away by the Hungarian. The referee then brings the first half to an end at Anfield.
An entertaining 45 minutes for the neutral, and Chelsea have performed okay despite trailing, but they’ll know that the game can escape you quickly at Anfield, as it so almost did.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:24 , Chris Wilson
51 mins
CLOSE! The ball is played forward to Madueke on the right wing and he’s got plenty of space. So does Palmer, and Madueke lays it off to his England teammate, but Palmer fires over.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:23 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
We’ve had the allotted added time, but there’ll be another couple of minutes.
Chelsea launch a counter, led by Madueke, but Nunez wins the ball back. Liverpool try to go on their own counter, but Caicedo does well to dispossess Szoboszlai.
PENALTY OVERTURNED! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:21 , Chris Wilson
48 mins
Surely this will be overturned. It was a good challenge from Sanchez in the end!
The Spaniard came out and made the first contact with the ball, with the follow-through bringing down Jones.
It’s overturned, as is the yellow card for Sanchez.
PENALTY! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:20 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
Another penalty for the home side, but not as clear as the first. Liverpool attack and Nunez threads a great through ball into the path of Jones. Before he can hit it, Sanchez comes out and drags him down, but Sanchez might have got a touch.
There’s a VAR review…
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:18 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
Play resumes with a Liverpool attack but Nunez is flagged for offside.
Gusto tries to launch an attack but he’s forced to play it backwards, before Robertson gets the better of Madueke as he slides in to give away a corner.
There’ll be five minutes of added time here.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:16 , Richard Jolly at Anfield
“A spell to show how Liverpool’s players and crowd can drive each other on. Anfield became louder and angrier, even the usually calm Arne Slot showing dissent, and the team became more urgent. The indirect effect may have come in the goal and, with Cody Gakpo having another disallowed, almost a second. Chelsea were blown away at Anfield last season. Now the test for Enzo Maresca’s new-look side is to show more resilience.”
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:15 , Chris Wilson
43 mins
Maresca uses the break in play to speak to his players. Jackson limps off the pitch for now, but he looks like he could run it off.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:14 , Chris Wilson
41 mins
Salah plays a lovely through ball with the outside of his foot into the path of Gakpo, but the Chelsea defence does well to track back and clear.
Jackson has just gone down in the middle of the pitch with nobody around him. He’s holding his right knee as he receives treatment.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:12 , Chris Wilson
39 mins
Sancho shows too much of the ball to Alexander-Arnold but he wins a corner. James’ ball in is cleared, and Chelsea have to work the attack again from a throw.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:10 , Chris Wilson
37 mins
A promising Liverpool counter-attack ends with Szoboszlai latching onto a through ball in the box, but he can only direct his shot straight at Sacnhez.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:08 , Chris Wilson
35 mins
Not a lot has happened since that disallowed effort, with Chelsea not yet having an opportunity to get back into the game.
Liverpool are enjoying plenty of possession, but the majority is in their own half.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:06 , Chris Wilson
33 mins
Liverpool think they have another but it’s offside.
Sanchez played it straight to Jones, who slipped a pass through to Salah, with the Egyptian playing the ball across for Gakpo to tap in. However, Salah had strayed offside in the build-up.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:04 , Chris Wilson
32 mins
A ball forward almost falls to Nunez, but Sanchez did well to sweep it away for a throw. Liverpool win a corner right after, but the opportunity comes to nothing after Alexander-Arniold’s cross goes straight to Sanchez.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:03 , Chris Wilson
30 mins
Liverpool have been forced into making a change here, as Jota comes off for Darwin Nunez.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:01 , Chris Wilson
28 mins
GOAL! The home side are ahead.
Chelsea try and delay the taking of the penalty and Jackson is booked.
Salah steps up to take it – and he rifles past Sanchez, sending the Spaniard the wrong way.
(Getty Images)
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:00 , Chris Wilson
27 mins
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Stonewall.
Liverpool attack and Salah tries to force a shot through, but it bounces into the path of Jones. He’s wrestling with Colwill as he tries to get his feet sorted, and the Chelsea man brings him down for a clear penalty.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:58 , Chris Wilson
25 mins
CLOSE!
Madueke skips past Robertson again and cuts back a dangerous ball that falls to Palmer, but his shot is blocked.
Moments later, Salah leads a counter-attack and is brought down in the box, but the referee waves it away.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:57 , Chris Wilson
24 mins
Liverpool have some sustained possession around halfway, but there are no runners for the midfielders at the moment.
Salah tries to start an attack by playing it forward to Jota, but the Portuguese loses the ball under the challenge.
Moments later, James is dispossessed near his own box and the home side think they have a chance, but the foul is given for the challenge on the Englishman.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:54 , Chris Wilson
22 mins
The home side’s attacking play has been a little disjointed, and Maresca will likely be the happier of the two managers so far. Chelsea have had the better of the ball, but they haven’t managed to link their attacking play together yet.
James swings in a cross and Kelleher hesitates to come for it, so Alexander-Arnold nods it behind for a corner.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:53 , Chris Wilson
20 mins
CLOSE!
Liverpool play the long ball forward and James cushions it back to Sanchez. He takes too long on the ball and fires his clearance straight at Gakpo, but luckily for the Spaniard it bounces off Gakpo and straight into his gloves.
Moments later, there’s a brief VAR check for a penalty as Sancho goes down under the challenge from Alexander-Arnold, but nothing is given.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:50 , Chris Wilson
18 mins
Sancho wins a throw deep into the Liverpool half after Alexander-Arnold pokes the ball away. Chelsea try and launch a quick long throw into Jackson in the box, but Kelleher comes out to collect.
The away side come forward again, but it’s all a bit too pedestrian as the Liverpool defence falls back into shape.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:48 , Chris Wilson
15 mins
Caicedo feeds a ball in to Jackson, but he’s a little too isolated at the moment against Konate and van Dijk.
Chelsea come forward again and Sancho releases Gusto on the overlap, but his cross is blocked by Konate and it goes for a goal kick.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:46 , Chris Wilson
13 mins
No chances yet for either side. Chelsea are happy to work the ball across the pitch, before Madueke beats Robertson down the right. His cross is too powerful though.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:45 , Chris Wilson
12 mins
Sanchez plays a brilliant ball 80-odd yards up the pitch right into the path of Sancho. The winger lays it off to Gusto, but he blasts a shot well wide.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:43 , Chris Wilson
10 mins
Liverpool are pressing high and it’s won them the ball a couple of times, the latest being after Sanchez is forced to kick long and Madueke can’t control it.
In contrast, Chelsea aren’t pressing anywhere near as high. The home side enjoy a bit of possession in their own half and near their box, but there’s not a lot happening right now.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:40 , Chris Wilson
7 mins
Home fans are screaming for a red card as the long ball is played over the top and Jota tries to run free, only to be dragged down by Tosin.
It’s a similar situation to Saliba’s red card yesterday, but the referee only gives Tosin a yellow. Colwill was close by to latch on, so that’s probably saved him.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:38 , Chris Wilson
6 mins
James and Lavia combine well on the edge of the Chelsea box, the former winning the ball in the tackle before the Belgian skips past another challenge.
The away side attack but Sancho is stopped easily by Gravenberch.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:37 , Chris Wilson
5 mins
Jones does well to skip past both Caicedo and Palmer in midfield, and Liverpool have an attacking opportunity that ends with Salah firing at Colwill’s hand. Shouts for a free-kick, but nothing given.
Caicedo is down after landing off-balance after that challenge on Jones, but he’s trying to run it off for now.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:35 , Chris Wilson
3 mins
Great play from Lavia to sell the dummy and skip away from the challenge to get Chelsea out of a tight position. The away side attack but James’ early cross is headed clear by Konate.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:34 , Chris Wilson
2 mins
A few exchanges of possession as both sides look to settle early on.
Tosin gives away possession near his own box but Liverpool recycle possession back to van Dijk.
KICK-OFF! Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:32 , Chris Wilson
KICK-OFF!
The away get us underway on Merseyside.
Liverpool vs Chelsea LIVE
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:28 , Chris Wilson
Richard Jolly at Anfield:
“Arne Slot may have learnt the lesson of Liverpool’s defeat to Nottingham Forest by benching their three South Americans today for the first game after an international break – though Alexis Mac Allister, who felt ill on the plane back from representing Argentina, was not ready to start anyway. For Chelsea, Reece James’ first start of the season means there will be a focus on the injury-hit captain in a suspension-hit defence.”
Liverpool vs Chelsea LIVE
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:25 , Chris Wilson
The teams are in the tunnel at Anfield, so we’re only moments from kick-off.
(Getty Images)
Match facts
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:23 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games against Liverpool (drawing five and losing three.
Along with Liverpool, Chelsea are one of two sides with a 100% away win rate in the Premier League this season.
Only Manchester City (17) have scored more goals than Chelsea (16) in the division this term, and only Tottenham boast a higher xG (15.0) than the Blues (14.7).
Enzo Maresca is looking to become only the fifth manager to win each of his first four away Premier League games, with one of the previous four to do so being his counterpart in this match, Liverpool’s Arne Slot.
Chelsea pair Cole Palmer (11) and Noni Madueke (4) have created 15 chances for each other in the Premier League this season, the most of any duo.
Match facts
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:18 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Chelsea, though five of these have ended level. Having lost three consecutive league games against Chelsea between 2013 and 2014, the Reds have now lost just two of their last 19, winging seven and drawing 10.
Liverpool have conceded the fewest goals (two), kept the most clean sheets (five), and have the lowest expected goals against figure (5.2) of any side in the Premier League this season.
Mohamed Salah has four goals in 13 Premier League games against his former side, averaging a goal every 257 minutes against the Blues. He only has a worse minutes-per-goal rate against Burnley.
Is Liverpool v Chelsea on TV?
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:15 , Chris Wilson
A reminder of how you can watch the late-afternoon match today – we’re around 15 minutes from kick-off.
Liverpool vs Chelsea is due to kick off at 4:30pm BST on Sunday 20 October at Anfield.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on these channels beginning at 4pm. Subscribers can stream the action on Sky Go or Now TV.
What the managers have said
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:10 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said that today’s match “is a special game for all of the clubs”.
“Liverpool is a nice environment, fantastic. We are excited to play this kind of game. All the games we have played until now have not been easy. We are going to do our best.
“I don’t think Sunday’s game defines where we are. In this moment, we have to be focused on things we need to improve.
“We have Liverpool and then two or three more games. Nottingham wasn’t an easy game, or Brighton, West Ham away or Bournemouth away.
“[The] Premier League is the best league in the world and the toughest league in the world,” he added.
When asked on how he feels about his club’s start to the season, the Italian said: “[I’m] very happy because what I expected in terms of players, level and style, I can see clearly that is there.
“It doesn’t matter in this moment who is going to play, you can see clearly how we want to play.”
What the managers have said
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:05 , Chris Wilson
Speaking in a press conference ahead of today’s game, Arne Slot said that he is “looking forward to a very interesting game”.
“Chelsea does really well. If you look at the league table then they are the ones that might be our toughest opponent.
“But it’s not always about the league table. Sometimes it’s about the form of the day, it’s about their game plan.
“We had some difficulty with Wolves as well, who are bottom of the league, I think. But it is a challenge, that’s for sure,” he added.
When speaking about Liverpool’s tough run of upcoming fixtures, he said: “I think we have to judge us as a team after this spell of games – not three of them but six, seven or eight of them.
“Then we know better how we act and how we perform if we play tough Champions League games and tough league games.
“That is normal in everybody’s season and we know how difficult it is.”
Conor Bradley has fond memories of Liverpool’s ‘special’ games with Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:00 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool’s clash with Chelsea on Sunday will bring back special memories for Conor Bradley.
Fresh from captaining Northern Ireland in Tuesday’s 5-0 rout of Bulgaria in Belfast, the 21-year-old has returned to the club’s Kirkby training ground with a spring in his step before their next Premier League match.
Taking the armband for his country was just the latest step in Bradley’s outstanding 2024, and two meetings with Chelsea feature prominently in that story.
The first came on January 31 in a 4-1 win over the Londoners at Anfield, as Bradley got his first Liverpool goal and added two assists in a man-of-the-match display.
Arne Slot confident uncertainty over future of key Liverpool trio will not prove a distraction
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:55 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot insisted he will be involved in contract talks with Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah by saying it would be “weird” if he was not consulted and shrugging off suggestions the right-back would be distracted as Real Madrid’s interest in him has become more public.
Liverpool’s captain, vice-captain and top scorer are all out of contract at the end of the season but Slot is adamant it is not an issue for him and he would only be worried if he reached the last day of the campaign with their futures still up in the air.
The Dutchman is Liverpool’s first head coach – predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s job title was manager and he had more control, albeit without getting his way when he wanted to keep Roberto Firmino and James Milner in 2023 – meaning sporting director Richard Hughes will assume overall responsibility for talks with the three key players. Slot confirmed, though, that he will play a part in discussions.
Arne Slot confident uncertainty over future of key trio will not prove a distraction
Chelsea cannot rely on Cole Palmer to solve all problems – Enzo Maresca
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:50 , Chris Wilson
Enzo Maresca warned his Chelsea players they cannot rely on Cole Palmer to “solve all our problems” as they prepare for a gruelling run of Premier League fixtures, beginning with Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool.
Following the game at Anfield, in which the head coach will be without suspended pair Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana in defence, the Blues play Newcastle at home before travelling to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Arsenal then visit Stamford Bridge to round off a three-week spell in which the potential in evidence during Maresca’s first seven games will receive a thorough inspection, with the team’s top-four credentials put to the test.
These two sides have met a total of 190 times, with meetings dating back to Christmas Day in 1907.
As ist stands, Liverpool have won 90, with Chelsea winning 61. 49 have ended as draws.
As alluded to earlier, the two teams have had a range of high-profile meetings, from Champions League semi-finals to last season’s Carabao cup final, which Liverpool won 1-0.
In the league last season, the two sides drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge in their league opener, while Liverpool won the return fixture 4-1 in January.
What Liverpool’s brutal seven-game run will reveal about their season under Arne Slot
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:40 , Chris Wilson
The best beginning to a reign made by any Liverpool manager is only a start. Arne Slot has found ways of deflecting the compliments his immediate impact at Anfield has generated. He has referenced the reality that some of his predecessors’ medal collections are sufficiently impressive that they do not need to be judged by their first 10 games or an early-season status as league leaders. He has cited the relatively kind fixture list: Liverpool have played the teams currently occupying 17th, 11th, 14th, 10th, 13th, 20th and 18th places. Their Carabao Cup win was against the club in 12th. Their Champions League victories were against the sides sitting sixth and 13th respectively in Serie A.
And now it gets harder. Liverpool’s next month amounts to a barometer of their prospects, a test of whether they are title challengers, potential Champions League winners, able to retain the Carabao Cup that proved Jurgen Klopp’s last trophy. It is Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton, Brighton again, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa, a seven-game stretch that could derail Liverpool’s ambitions or serve as a springboard to a challenge on multiple fronts.
For Slot, it amounts to a voyage of discovery. Have his first 10 games given him a clear idea of what Liverpool can achieve or is he still trying to find out himself?
What Liverpool’s brutal seven-game run will reveal about their season
Liverpool v Chelsea – the tale of a recent English ‘rivalry’
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:35 , Chris Wilson
Around 220 miles separate Anfield and Stamford Bridge, but despite the distance between theses two clubs, they have played out one of English football’s most intriguing rivalries since the early 2000s.
By the time Roman Abramovich took over the Blues in 2003, the historic gap between the two clubs had closed, with Liverpool remaining a force despite their inability to challenge for titles. But the Blues soon took them over, with the hiring of Jose Mourinho kickstarting a golden era.
And (despite a 3-2 Chelsea win in that year’s League Cup final) the rivalry between the two clubs can perhaps be traced to a match that was key in one of Liverpool’s most famous successes – their 2005 Champions League win.
Luis Garcia’s ghost goal at Anfield in the second leg of the semi-final won the tie for the Reds, and marked the first in a run of high-octane, high quality matches between the two sides, including another Liverpool win (this one on penalties) in the Champions League semi-finals in 2006/07, a 4-3 aggregate win for Chelsea in the 2007/08 semi-finals and a 7-5 aggregate win (including a 4-4 at Stamford Bridge) for Chelsea in the 2008/09 quarter-finals.
Since 2003, the two clubs have also met in two FA Cup finals and three League Cup finals.
(Getty Images)
Will Liverpool beat the Blues?
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:30 , Mike Jones
Liverpool are seeking a third successive win over Chelsea in all competitions for the first time since November 2011, when they recorded a sequence of four.
Victory this weekend would also see Liverpool record a 50th Anfield success over Chelsea in league football, while their next goal will be their 250th in all league encounters against the Londoners.
Liverpool vs Chelsea team changes
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:25 , Mike Jones
Arne Slot makes three changes to the Liverpool team that defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 in their final match before the international break.
Alisson is injured so Caoimhin Kelleher will be in goal while Andy Robertson takes up his place at left-back ahead of Kostas Tsimikas. Further up the pitch, Alexis Mac Allister is replaced with Dominik Szoboszlai.
For Chelsea, the big news is that captain and right-back Reece James returns! The defender has recovered from a long-term injury to take his place in the starting line-up.
Elsewhere, Enzo Fernandez, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella drop out with Tosin Adarabioyo and Romeo Lavia brought back in.
Liverpool vs Chelsea line-ups
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:15 , Mike Jones
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Jota, Gakpo
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Gusto; Lavia, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Team news
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:10 , Chris Wilson
A reminder of the early team news – we’re around five minutes away from knowing the line-ups.
Liverpool will be without Alisson, while Harvey Elliott continues to recover from a fractured foot. Federico Chiesa could be available after recovering from an unspecified injury which ruled him out of Italy’s internationals.
Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana are suspended, though Reece James is back in training after a period out with a hamstring injury.
Reece James injury latest after Enzo Maresca provides update on Chelsea star’s return
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:00 , Chris Wilson
Reece James is fit to return for Chelsea against Liverpool after his latest injury with Enzo Maresca revealing a new plan to ensure the right-back remains fit.
James has not featured for the Blues this season after sustaining another hamstring issue.
But after training with the group over the international break, Maresca can call on the 24-year-old for the trip to Anfield.
Chelsea handed boost as Enzo Maresca provides Reece James injury update
Liverpool vs Chelsea team news: Alisson injury blow for Reds as Reece James nears Blues return
Sunday 20 October 2024 14:55 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea travel to face Liverpool as Premier League football returns following the international break, but the Reds have been handed an injury blow ahead of the weekend.
Alisson is set to remain on the sidelines for the clash against Chelsea after sustaining a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace.
Caoimhin Kelleher will deputise in goal, with Arne Slot confirming the Brazil remains out for a “couple of weeks” due to the problem.
Reece James has trained over the international break and will be in the squad on Sunday, while Maresca must contend without suspended duo Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella.
Liverpool vs Chelsea team news: Alisson injury blow for Reds as James nears return
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website
Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund got on the scoresheet as Manchester United bounced back after conceding a controversial goal to beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford for their first victory in more than a month.
The win meant United climbed to 10th in the standings on 11 points after eight matches, and eased some of the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag, whose job has been the subject of media speculation. Brentford are 12th on 10 points.
United had 10 men on the pitch when Ethan Pinnock headed in Brentford’s goal from a corner deep in first-half stoppage time after referee Sam Barrott instructed Matthijs de Ligt to go to the touchline to stem the bleeding from a gash on his head.
United came out of the break fired up and Garnacho latched onto a cross from Marcus Rashford to fire home from the left side of the six-yard box into the far corner in the 47th minute.
Hojlund put the home side ahead in spectacular fashion in the 62nd when Bruno Fernandes found him with a back-heel pass, and the Dane chipped the ball over goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Manchester United vs Brentford LIVE: Premier League updates
FULL TIME! Manchester United end five-game winless run with comeback win
68’ GOAL! Hojlund puts United ahead with brilliant chip finish (MUN 2-1 BRE)
48’ GOAL! Garnacho fires equaliser shortly after the restart (MUN 1-1 BRE)
45+5’ GOAL! United behind as Pinnock heads visitors in front (MUN 0-1 BRE)
United defender De Ligt was off pitch receiving more treatment for head injury
United are on a five-game winless run in all competitions
Man Utd XI: Onana, Dalot, de Ligt, Evans, Martinez, Casemiro, Eriksen, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund
Brentford XI: Flekken, van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer, Janelt, Norgaard, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter, Schade
Manchester United FC 2 – 1 Brentford FC
Manchester United’s sense of injustice sparks comeback win for Erik ten Hag
17:43 , Richard Jolly
Perhaps it took a sense of injustice to spare Manchester United further ignominy. When the half-time whistle blew, they were losing and losing their rag, Brentford on course for a first win at Old Trafford since 1937, United set for a third consecutive league defeat at Old Trafford, a fate they had not suffered since 1979. As it stood, they were the joint lowest scorers in the Premier League, their drought stretching past five hours. The class of 2024 were failing, the class of 2004 fuming. Ruud van Nistelrooy was booked. Darren Fletcher ran after the officials in the tunnel.
Ethan Pinnock’s opener – though actually far less controversial than United imagined – had annoyed their past. Their present responded. The temptation was to call it a much-needed win for Erik ten Hag, though perhaps the scarcity of victories means they all are, but ended with a first triumph in six games, just a fourth in 12 outings this season. The outstanding Alejandro Garnacho delivered a wonderful equaliser, Rasmus Hojlund a decider to cap a show of spirit.
Man Utd’s sense of injustice sparks comeback win for Erik ten Hag
Manchester United vs Brentford
17:06
The full-time whistle sounds and United are 2-1 victors over Brentford at Old Trafford. While the first half saw a bloody De Ligt struggling and touchline-bound, Brentford were decisive in his absence and struck the lead just before the interval. Pinnock rose best from a Damsgaard corner to head into the top-left, and it’s fair to suggest that even with De Ligt on the pitch, that goal would still go in. In the second half, United changed their tune and were inspired by Garnacho’s continued skilful industry. Just two minutes into the new period, the Argentine restored parity with a lovely volleyed finish as Rashford found him on the left channel of the area with a beautifully pin-point pass. Then, after continued offensive impetus, 15 minutes later saw the Red Devils snatch the lead with Hojlund. Martinez won the ball back and played forwards. Fernandes then offered a deft flick to play in the Dane, who obliged to dink the on-rushing Flekken and ultimately provide the decisive goal of the afternoon. United operated at an xG of 1.48, while the visitors stayed at an xG of 0.98. Now, United go 10th in the table, with Brentford down to 12th. Thank you for joining us today, goodbye!
Manchester United vs Brentford
17:02
FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 BRENTFORD
Manchester United vs Brentford
17:01
Brentford are keeping United in their area. The hosts don’t react to the dropping ball following a long-throw and then Carvalho drags his effort wide right!
Manchester United vs Brentford
17:00
Brentford keep fighting here and Frank has waved his players forward. Can they level late on?
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:59
There will be five added minutes today.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:56
United’s stand-out star Garnacho comes off to a standing ovation. Noussair Mazraoui is on, fully recovered from recent surgery on his heart.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:56
Rashford enterprise results in a corner on the right for United. Brentford clear, with Mbeumo desperate to break, yet he doesn’t get far. In the next pahse, Yarmoliuk fires over, but the flag is up anyway on Wissa’s run through the back line.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:53
Substitution Jonathan Grant Evans Victor Jörgen Nilsson Lindelöf
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:53
Substitution Carlos Henrique Casimiro Manuel Ugarte Ribeiro
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:52
Mbeumo wins a free-kick deep on the right and after a free-kick cross has the United defence alert, an eventual offside halts the visiting progress.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:51
Substitution Sepp van den Berg Mads Roerslev Rasmussen
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:49
United have numbers forward as Rashford drives at Collins and shoots, yet the move was rather telegraphed and the Irishman can block. Garnacho then pounds one low and hard after De Ligt made good yardage, yet Flekken can save easily, putting his body behind the ball.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:46
Casemiro darts in and Rashford puts the ball into Zirkzee’s path, but again, the Dutchman can’t get it under control. He just can’t catch a break.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:44
Damsgaard tries to wriggle through the Red Devils’ midfield, yet Eriksen ushers him off the ball before then getting fouled himself.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:43
United are just knocking the ball around now with jeers arriving from the home crowd. Zirkzee then gets played in, yet he can’t take it in his stride. Casemiro takes control, yet it’s comfortably wide right.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:39
Brentford’s changes keep coming as Janelt is withdrawn for young Unkrainian Yehor Yarmoliuk.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:39
Hojlund comes off to a brilliant Old Trafford reception following his game-changing dink. Joshua Zirkzee is on for the last 16-plus minutes.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:39
Substitution Kevin Schade Fábio Leandro Freitas Gouveia de Carvalho
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:39
The ball has been in play for a while now, but the referee remembers a foul from Ajer on Hojlund, and the Norwegian is booked.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:36
Dalot has seemingly forgot he’s a defender! He’s tried to race in behind again! The pass for the right-back was just too long, though, and Flekken claimed easily.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:33
Dalot breaks in behind after Onana pings one forward, and with Schade falling, Flekken has to come out and block the Portuguese! Great pass from the Cameroonian keeper!
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:30
Substitution Keane William Lewis-Potter Yoane Wissa Bileko
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:27
United are a complete different team here in the second half. Garnacho is looking electric and puts the ball into an area where there’s no one. Casemiro then crosses and Fernandes heads wide.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:28
Assist Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:25
United have a corner on the left with Eriksen. Hojlund darts in behind and Van den Berg puts it behind. The corner utlimately comes to nothing as a short move is well-read by Brentford.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:22
Norgaard is down now after Fernandes seemingly studs the Dane’s ankle on the right. No card given though.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:20
Yellow Card Christian Thers Nørgaard
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:19
Dalot slides through the back of Lewis-Potter and receives a deserved yellow card.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:18
Manchester United have attempted six shots on target in this match, higher than their season average of 4.8 in the Premier League.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:18
Casemiro has a go from range, and the sun-blinded Flekken saves again! The cap-wearing Dutchman didn’t look too sure where that was, yet he does well in the low sunlight.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:17
Garnacho nearly gets a second! Van den Berg is allowing the winger too much space and he jinks in from the left to fire low. Flekken tips it from the bottom-left corner in agile fashion.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:15
Brentford have conceded three goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Only West Ham United (four) have conceded more in the Premier League this season.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:12
Rashford and Hojlund link up superbly on the edge of the Brentford box and the latter runs inside, yet Pinnock slide tackles superbly.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:12
Goal Alejandro Garnacho Ferreyra
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:12
Assist Marcus Rashford
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:11
We’re back underway at Old Trafford as United have work to do.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:04
With that showing, Manchester United have now failed to score a first-half goal in seven of their eight games, more often than any other team in the Premier League this season. Something has to change for Ten Hag if he wishes his keep his job. United’s half chances have culminated in a lowly xG of 0.28. Although Brentford have largely operated on the counter, their xG of 0.83 hints at far more positivity going forward, and their decisive nature in front of goal has illustrated they’re not just early goal gimmick-chasers. United can’t play victim for too long in this one, otherwise Brentford could pull away.
Manchester United vs Brentford
16:00
The interval arrives and Brentford lead 1-0 here at Old Trafford as United are incensed. A relatively non-descript game had panned out to this point with Flekken and Onana only really tested by Garnacho and Norgaard efforts, respectively. Yet, the drama arrived in the final knockings. Earlier in the match, De Ligt for some reason opted to use his head to tackle Schade’s knee and was off the pitch on numerous occasions to get the wound on the top of his skull sealed up. However, as he cleared a late cross from the visitors, it opened up again, and thus he was called off for treatment. Brentford took the corner and Pinnock rose best to head into the top-left corner, and it’s fair to suggest that even with De Ligt on the pitch, that goal still goes in. Dalot didn’t follow the defender’s run and now an offensively blunt United trail with only themselves to blame.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:55
HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 BRENTFORD
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:52
Brentford have a corner here on the left. De Ligt’s head wound is open again. It’s doubtful he’ll be back for the second half.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:52
Goal Ethan Rupert Pinnock
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:52
Yellow Card Jonathan Grant Evans
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:47
There will be four minutes of added time here.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:47
Damsgaard nearly finds Lewis-Potter behind the United line, but an agile leg from Dalot, it looked like, halted the trouble. United are still forced to defend and De Ligt has blood running down his head!
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:46
Norgaard is frustrated at Casemiro’s theatrics to win a foul off the Dane. Referee Barrott has a chat with the Brentford midfielder to calm him down.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:44
Garnacho forces Flekken to save! Hojlund offers brilliant hold up play and then finds Garnacho who cuts back on his right to fire into the bottom-left. It’s deflected slightly and Flekken can save before it’s smashed behind for a corner. This comes to nothing, yet United keep the pressure up.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:43
Collins is down after Hojlund collides with the defender. The Dane is then played in in Collins’ vacant spot and the centre-back gets up to track back as the striker fires low and wide of the right post. The Irishman wasn’t happy with the referee there. Hojlund was apologetic.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:39
United counter after Lewis-Potter is slow to cross on the left. Hojlund holds the ball up in the centre and Rashford then pings Garnacho through on the left. The youngster drives at goal but his finish is poor and balloons high and wide at the near post.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:38
Casemiro has a go from range, and it’s deflected over for a corner on the right. Norgaard heads away and Fernandes then slams one way over.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:36
Eriksen fires over from inside the box. How on earth has he missed by such a height? Well, it doesn’t matter, as Collins was fouled by Rashford in the lead up and Eriksen has reprieve.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:34
The corner on the left nears Schade, yet Eriksen clears for the hosts.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:34
Onana saves from Norgaard! The Dane turns away from Casemiro with aplomb and fires from a central-right position just outside the box. It’s going in the left-side, yet Onana is agile to tip it away for a corner.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:32
After United eventually deal with Mbeumo, debatably illegally, with an arm across the throat being employed – Fernandes is fouled by Schade as he looks to get Garnacho off and running.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:31
Mbuemo gets left by Martinez and Evans lashes the ball skywards as the winger clearly causes panic as he chases Flekken’s ball from the back just off the right side.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:28
United buzz with intent around the Bees’ box and it goes out to Garnacho. He takes on Van den Berg succesfully and fires on goal. However, Flekken saves well down to his right. The subsequent corner comes to nothing.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:27
Brentford have lost all three of their Premier League away games so far this season – they’ve not begun a league campaign with four straight losses on the road since 1961-62, when they lost their first nine in the third tier. They’ve admittedly looked the brightest out of the two teams so far here.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:23
Flekken drops his claim from the left-sided corner and it has to be cleared off the line with Hojlund lurking!
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:22
The corner falls to Garnacho after De Ligt leaves it. His shot is blocked but the hosts keep coming and Rashford’s left-sided cross is blocked by Pinnock.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:21
United have a corner on the right after Ajer puts a cross behind on that side. Eriksen will take.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:20
So far, Brentford have had 68% possession to United’s 32%. There have been zero attempts on the Bees’ goal so far.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:18
De Ligt is back on, presumably glued up. Brentford have a throw-in on the left with Pinnock. He can launch them. Damsgaard then fires, but can’t get hold of it and Martinez blocks.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:17
Lewis-Potter smashes his free-kick into the wall and United can build out. Reminder, De Ligt is still on the sideline receiving treatment. Untied down to ten.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:16
Well, after De Ligt receives treatment to a gash on the top of his head, it looks like the medics are going to try and strap him up further. It does look like Lindelof will be entering the fray at some point, despite De Ligt’s intent to stay on.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:14
De Ligt is down with a head injury. Schade has flicked the ball over the Dutchman and the defender has headered the German’s knee. Free-kick to Brentford, as the former Bayern man was nowhere near the ball.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:11
Brentford are in possession here, yet United have pressed them deep. Somehow the Bees have well to escape with Ajer, yet his pass on the edge of the United area is intercepted well by Garnacho’s slide. Great recovery.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:09
Mbeumo brings the ball down from a simply sublime Collins cross-field ping and the winger drives at Martinez before jinking back on his left. However,he can’t keep the shot down and it flies high and left of the target.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:07
Manchester United average 0.7 goals per game in the Premier League this season (five goals in seven games), compared to three goals per game across all other competitions this term (12 goals in 4 games).
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:06
Brenford should have the lead here. Janelt crosses excellently from the left and Evans miss-kicks it. Schade misses it too and United survive!
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:05
Fernandes makes a positive start on the left. He drives and fires in a low cross for Hojlund to try and latch onto at the near post. However, Flekken is out to claim.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:03
Onana finds the ball at his feet. He’s out of his box playing like a centre-back. Interesting.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:03
And we’re off. United look to keep possession and not allow the Bees yet another early goal.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:02
Manchester United will kick us off after the coin toss.
Manchester United vs Brentford
15:02
Today’s official is Samuel Barrott, and he leads the players out to the Old Trafford turf. There’s a palpable tension around the place as Ten Hag’s future continues to hang in the balance. Will he get his team firing today? Or will United succumb to the dynamic speedsters from West London? All we know, is that this one should have all the makings of an entertaining watch.
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:57
Brentford boss Thomas Frank came within a matter of minutes of securing his side’s first Old Trafford victory since 1937 in the corresponding fixture last season. However, while Scott McTominay’s late strike denied him, hopes remain alive against this inconsistent United team this afternoon. For this meeting, Frank makes no changes to the team that whalloped Wolves 5-3 last time out, with attacking impetus very much in focus with the continued excellence of Bryan Mbuemo. He has scored six goals in his seven Premier League games this season, netting in each of his last three appearances. His next goal or assist will see him become the first Brentford player to register 50 Premier League goal involvements (currently 28 goals, 21 assists).
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:52
Erik ten Hag makes three changes to the Manchester United side that drew 0-0 with Aston Villa last time out in the Premier League. The injured Harry Maguire makes way while Noussair Mazraoui drops to the bench. Kobbie Mainoo is also out of the team. In their place, arrive Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, and Matthijs de Ligt.
BRENTFORD (4-2-3-1): Mark Flekken; Sepp van den Berg, Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer; Vitaly Janelt, Christian Norgaard; Bryan Mbuemo, Mikkel Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter; Kevin Schade.
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:47
SUBS: Altay Bayindir, Noussair Mazraoui, Victor Nilsson Lindelof, Jack Fletcher, Manuel Ugarte, Amad Diallo, Antony, Ethan Wheatley, Joshua Zirkzee.
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:42
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Andre Onana: Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez; Casemiro, Christian Eriksen; Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford; Rasmus Hojlund.
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:42
Manchester United are hoping their home contest against Brentford will prove to be the start of a more consistent run of form after another turbulent spell in the Premier League campaign under divisive manager Erik ten Hag. Currently, United are in 13th place on eight points after seven matches. Manchester United earned a point in their last Premier League match, drawing 0-0 at Villa Park against Aston Villa, extending their winless streak to three (W0 D2 L1). Brentford defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers in a staggering 5-3 at home in their last league match. This ended a three-match winless streak, and left the visitors in 11th spot on 10 points through seven matches.
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:37
Hello everyone, and welcome to live text coverage of the Premier League’s Matchweek eight clash between Manchester United and Brentford at Old Trafford.
Manchester United vs Brentford
14:30
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Manchester United vs Brentford
13:00
Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
Watch the Premier League in Australia from AU$7 a month
Optus Sport
Having made their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, Manchester United will go in search of just their third win of the campaign as they host Brentford on Saturday.
Speculation remains fixed on Erik ten Hag’s future as boss, with the Red Devils currently nestled in the unfamiliar lowly setting of 14th position in the table.
Brentford have meanwhile made a habit of starting strong in games, scoring inside the opening 80 seconds in four successive matches before the international break. The Bees hit Wolves for five last time out, and a win today could see the Bees propelled into the top seven.
Manchester United take on Brentford on Saturday, Oct. 18, at Old Trafford, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. BST local time, making it a 10a.m. ET or 7 a.m. PT start in the US and Canada and a 1 a.m. AEDT kickoff in Australia in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the match as it happens, wherever you are in the world.
In-form striker Bryan Mbeumo has scored in Brentford’s last three matches.
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
How to watch Man United vs. Brentford in the US without cable
Saturday’s Man United vs. Brentford match is streaming on Peacock. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live.
Peacock offers two Premium plans, and after the recent price increases, the ad-supported Premium plan costs $8 a month, and the ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 a month.
How to watch the Premier League 2024/25 season from anywhere with a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view EPL matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
James Martin/CNET
Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 25% speed loss in 2024 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you’ll get three months free and save 49%. That’s the equivalent of $6.67 a month with code SPECIALDEAL, which should be automatically applied.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can I livestream Man United vs. Brentford in the UK?
No broadcaster has the rights to show this game live in the UK, due to the traditional Saturday 3 p.m. kickoff blackout, which prohibits matches being shown in the region at that time in order to protect attendances throughout the English football pyramid.
That also means that if you’re in the UK traveling for pleasure or for work, you’re unlikely to be able to watch the game like you normally would at home, thanks to geoblocking.
There’s one option to get around this, however. By using a VPN, as explained above, you can set your location to a country where the match is being broadcast and go from there.
Livestream Man United vs. Brentford in Canada
If you want to stream this EPL game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights to every Premier League fixture once again this season.
Fubo
Fubo is the go-to destination for Canadians looking to watch the EPL this season, with exclusive streaming rights to every match. It costs CA$30 per month, though you can save some cash by paying quarterly or annually.
Livestream Man United vs. Brentford in Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch EPL matches live on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League fixture of the 2024/25 season live in Australia.
Optus
With exclusive rights to stream all EPL matches live this season, as well as German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga games, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.
If you’re already an Optus network customer, you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price, with discounts bringing the price down to as low as AU$7 per month. If you’re not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25.
Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
Watch international soccer in Canada from CA$25 a month
DAZN
Portugal will look to tighten their grip at the top of Group A1 as they take on third place Poland on Saturday in this Nations League clash at the Kazimierz Górski National Stadium.
Roberto Martinez’s side are looking for their third consecutive win after claiming an impressive 2-1 victory over Croatia and another 2-1 win against Scotland, with that victory secured by Cristiano Ronaldo’s 88th-minute strike.
Having beaten Scotland 3-2 in a nail-biting opening match, Poland will be looking to get back to their winning ways after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Croatia in their last Nations League fixture.
Poland host Portugal at the Kazimierz Górski National Stadium in Warsaw on Saturday, Oct 12. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. CEST local time in Poland. That makes it a 7:45 p.m. BST start in the UK, which is 12:45 p.m. ET or 9:45 a.m. PT in the US and Canada and 3:45 a.m. AEST on Sunday, Oct. 13 in Australia.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s winning goal against Scotland was his 901st career goal.
Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images
Livestream the Poland vs. Portugal match in the US
Today’s game is on Fox Sports 2. If you don’t have the channel as part of your cable lineup, it can be streamed via Sling TV.
Sling/CNET
Sling TV’s Blue plan includes FS2, making it a great option for those wanting to watch international soccer action. It’s $40 a month ($45 in some places) and includes over 40 channels, including other sports channels like ESPN.
How to watch the Poland vs. Portugal match online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view this Nations League fixture locally, you may need a different way to watch the match — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
James Martin/CNET
Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 25% speed loss in 2024 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you’ll get three months free and save 49%. That’s the equivalent of $6.67 a month with code SPECIALDEAL, which should be automatically applied.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream the Poland vs. Portugal match in the UK for free
While this match won’t be broadcast by a traditional linear network in the UK, the great news for footy fans is that the game will be available to watch live and for free via the Viaplay International YouTube channel with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm BST.
Livestream the Poland vs. Portugal match in Australia
Football fans Down Under can also watch this match on streaming service Optus Sport.
Optus
With exclusive rights to screen every EPL match live this season, as well as German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga games and international fixtures, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.
If you’re already an Optus network customer you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price of AU$10 a month. If you’re not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25.
Livestream the Poland vs. Portugal match in Canada
If you want to stream this game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada.
DAZN
A DAZN subscription currently costs CA$25 a month or CA$200 a year and will also give you access to the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, plus EFL Championship soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis.
As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there’s a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.
Quick tips for streaming international soccer using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming soccer may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
